U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 discloses a system that for the first time provides for practical automatic vending of ice cream cones and the like. The apparatus shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 is capable of automatic vending of cones in a practical manner, however, many accessory problems with respect to automatic vending remain over the U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 structure. For instance, because of the special nature of the product being dispensed, it is difficult to provide a sensor at the dispensing head itself to determine when the predetermined amount of product has been delivered to the container for dispensing. This problem is complicated since the product being vended is under pressure during vending. According to the present invention, this problem has been overcome by pivotally mounting the container holding arm for rotation about a generally horizontal axis and providing product weight-responsive means associated with the arm for terminating delivery of products to a container being held by the arm after a predetermined weight of product has been delivered to the container.
The product weight-responsive means includes adjustable first spring means in engagement with the arm for pivoting the arm container-holding end in an upward direction about the horizontal axis, a microswitch and microswitch actuating means mounted to the arm and movable against the bias of the first spring means in response to product weight to actuate the microswitch. To negate the effects of the fact that the product being delivered is pressurized on the weight responsive means, a second spring means (also adjustable) is provided to biasing the arm for rotation about the horizontal axis in a direction opposite the direction in which the first spring biases the arm.
In the structure shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,413,052 there also sometimes are problems associated with proper operation of the structure should an individual decide to open the door to the delivery chamber before depositing one's money. Such problems are overcome according to the present invention by providing a mechanical latch means for latching the access door to the delivery chamber in a closed position until the arm has been completely withdrawn from the delivery chamber, and then again latching the door shut once it has returned to its original position. Rod means operatively connect the arm to the latch means for effecting unlatching of the door in response to movement of the arm so that the door is unlatched by the rod means after movement of the arm out of the delivery chamber. The door includes means associated therewith for resetting the latching means to latch the door after opening movement thereof and removal of the container from the delivery chamber. A pneumatic door closer may be provided for slowly returning door to its original position so that injury to the customer may be avoided.
Also, according to the present invention, specific structures are provided for the rod means, latch means and resetting means which provide for a fail-safe, yet simple operation of the latch in a mechanical mode.
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved automatic vending machine, especially adapted for vending soft ice cream in cones and the like. This and other objects of the invention will become clear from an inspection of the detailed description of the invention and from the appended claims.